Chancellor: Backstop 'could last as long as the Kingdom of Belgium'

The Chancellor, Phillip Hammond, has suggested the backstop contained in the Prime Minister's deal could last longer than expected.

Musing on the longevity of the Irish backstop, Hammond said: "The Kingdom of Belgium was intended to be a temporary construct - and that seems to be with us as well”.

Commenting, Best for Britain champion Virendra Sharma MP said:

"It says it all when Cabinet ministers are openly mocking the Prime Minister's Brexit deal. Not only is this another knife in the deal, but the person in office clearly no longer commands the respect of key colleagues.

"These really are dire straits. The Government is breaking down. Two and half years of Brexit negotiations have led us to this unpopular deal which contains a backstop we'll be trapped in as long as Belgium exists.

"There's clearly only one route out of the current mess: the public need the final say on Brexit."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

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